Rafael Nadal has been knocked out of the ongoing Australian Open by American player Mackenzie McDonald after the Spaniard struggled with an injury.
Nadal was trailing by a set and a break but could not continue the match due to a likely hip problem.
After taking a medical timeout towards the end of the second set before continuing the match, he eventually succumbed to a 6-4 6-3 7-5 loss.
This is the earliest stage Nadal has been eliminated at the Australian Open since 2016.
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Since having a rollercoaster 2022 – where he came back from two sets down to beat Daniil Medvedev in the Australian Open final and claiming a record-extending 14th French Open title – he has struggled with injuries.
He battled with an abdominal injury during last year’s Wimbledon where he withdrew from the tournament after managing to win his quarter final match.
Prior to this year’s Australian Open, Nadal had lost his only two singles matches of the season.
It was an emotional moment for Nadal’s wife Maria who was left in tears. Members of the tennis star’s team also caught sad and unhappy faces as the player struggled with his movement on the court.
The two-time winner left the court with a standing ovation from the crowd as he waved at the spectators.
What does the future hold for Nadal?
The 36-year-old is seeking a 23rd Grand Slam singles title. He holds the record for most men’s singles titles (22).
Obviously, age is catching up on him and injuries have really dealt with the legend. Entering this year’s Australian Open, he had lost six of his past seven matches.
During his Roland Garros victory last year, Nadal admitted that he couldn’t feel his left foot as a result of the injections taken for serious injury.
Nadal refused to quit his Wimbledon quarter final match last year despite his team’s pleas. Although he managed to beat Taylor Fritz, he bowed to his unfit body and exited the tournament before he could play Nick Kyrgios in the semis.
Due to the abdominal injury he had, his US Open journey was a tough one. He was knocked out in the fourth round by Frances Tiafoe having appeared to injure his rib.
The superstar really struggled in his latest match. Nadal tried time and again to push through the match against McDonald but it was not going to happen.
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It is left to be seen how soon he will return to the court but with his most favoured Grand Slam tournament coming up in June, he should take part in some test matches and probably participate in a few tournaments before the Roland Garros, depending on how fast he recovers from his latest injury setback.
There is hope for the future
His fans really want him back on the court and hope he can extend his singles record but maybe just like Serena Williams who tried and tried to keep on pushing, Nadal may never return to the heights that we once saw him attain.
However, there is always reason to hope and it will take something really spectacular and extraordinary for Nadal to win a title again on a court other than the clay but one thing we’re know well is that Nadal is a fighter.
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